Wilco to Hold ’Schmilco’ Listening Parties

Wilco fans will be able to get both a sneak preview of their next album, Schmilco. The band announced that they will hold listening parties in record stores across the nation on Sept. 6, three days before the official street date of Sept. 9.

In addition to previewing the record, you can purchase it on vinyl during the parties. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to win white-label vinyl copies, slipmats that feature the cover artwork by Joan Cornelia and what their press release calls “some shocking surprises.” The events are being billed as the record's "world premiere" and, as they wrote, allow you to "bask in the humble bragging rights of 'I heard Schmilco FIRST." You can find a list of participating stores over at Wilco’s website.

Schmilco is Wilco’s 10th album, and their first since they gave away Star Wars for free for download last year. Two of its 12 songs have already been heard. “Locator” arrived as a free track a month ago and “If I Ever Was a Child” was released a few days later with the news of the record. It's the third Wilco record to be released on dBpm Records, which they launched in 2011 with The Whole Love.

This weekend, they began a new leg of their North American tour in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They’ll remain on the road in the U.S. until Sept. 17, and you can get complete information, including upcoming South American and European dates at the Tour section of Wilco’s website.